The Case of the Perjured Parrot by Erle Stanley Gardner
Synopsis from Goodreads:
The Case of the Perjured Parrot is another quintessential Perry Mason murder mystery. Erle Stanley Gardner, in his inimitable style keeps the narrative zingy and the suspense intriguing. He takes us to mid 20th century America, giving us a glimpse of life in a modern city co-existing with that of the countryside.
In the Case of the Perjured Parrot, an eccentric millionaire was found dead in a mountain cabin - shot in the chest and his parrot Casanova loose from its cage. The story revolves around his widow and his son’s battle over his assets with Mason and detective Paul Drake looking into the man’s curious dealings. As the parrot in the cabin is discovered to be fake, a foul-mouthed imposter planted by the murderer, the real Casanova is found in the house of one Helen Monteith, repeatedly squawking the words, “Put down the gun, Helen! Don’t shoot me! My God, you’ve shot me!” The parrot’s incriminating words do nothing to diffuse the situation as Sabin’s wife also shares the name Helen – Helen Watkins Sabin. Helen Monteith claims to have been oblivious to the Sabin’s real identity, knowing him only as George Wallman - a poor, simple and generous man whom she married. Wallman had given her the parrot Casanova for safekeeping.
As the book progresses, subtly woven plots are unraveled and the evidence against Helen Monteith grows. The gun with which Sabin was shot is discovered to have been from a collection in the Santa Molinas Public Library - the library in which Monteith works. Ms. Monteith is arrested shortly after and charged with first degree-murder when caught red-handed trying to dispose off shells of the gun and a beheaded parrot in her apartment. The parrot is later revealed to be a substitute; a switch made by wily Perry Mason, suspecting that the murderer would try to kill the parrot, given the chance, either to truly silence it or to pile more evidence against Helen Monteith or Helen Sabin.
More astonishing facts are uncovered and the plot gets increasingly challenging while Perry Mason seems to be the one man who remains unruffled to an extent, calm and collected, carefully planning his moves while the police, lead by the Sergeant Holcomb of the Homicide Dept., races to stay one step ahead of the clever attorney. It becomes quite evident that the police try to fit circumstantial evidence to their theories and views on the murder and are left stumped when they get one-upped by Mason with Holcomb fuming in the face of Mason’s cheerful geniality.
While it has the imagery of a complex plot, one wonders at the simplicity of the solution as it unfolds in the climax. Of course, if you are looking forward to the razor-sharp courtroom exchanges, there is some of that too.
To me, it’s a disappointing fact that so few people read Gardner’s books. The law aspect of the novels seems to usually drive off people, but it is that very thing that makes the books so unique. The characters are original and amazing, and the dialogue is witty, if with more than a few typos.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Did the wealthy Fremont C. Sabin divorce his wife before his untimely death? That's the multimillion-dollar question. And the right answer will mean a windfall for either the dead man's angry son or headstrong widow. Each has accused the other of destroying Sabin's will—and murdering Sabin. But with no document declaring who the affable eccentric intended to leave his fortune to, Perry Mason faces a particularly prickly puzzle.
Even more puzzling, however, is the talking parrot. Casanova was Fremont Sabin's beloved pet. But the bird found at the crime scene proves to be a foul-mouthed impostor. Suffice it to say that more than a few feathers will be ruffled as Mason sets out to clip a clever killer's wings. . . .
Even more puzzling, however, is the talking parrot. Casanova was Fremont Sabin's beloved pet. But the bird found at the crime scene proves to be a foul-mouthed impostor. Suffice it to say that more than a few feathers will be ruffled as Mason sets out to clip a clever killer's wings. . . .
The Case of the Perjured Parrot is another quintessential Perry Mason murder mystery. Erle Stanley Gardner, in his inimitable style keeps the narrative zingy and the suspense intriguing. He takes us to mid 20th century America, giving us a glimpse of life in a modern city co-existing with that of the countryside.
In the Case of the Perjured Parrot, an eccentric millionaire was found dead in a mountain cabin - shot in the chest and his parrot Casanova loose from its cage. The story revolves around his widow and his son’s battle over his assets with Mason and detective Paul Drake looking into the man’s curious dealings. As the parrot in the cabin is discovered to be fake, a foul-mouthed imposter planted by the murderer, the real Casanova is found in the house of one Helen Monteith, repeatedly squawking the words, “Put down the gun, Helen! Don’t shoot me! My God, you’ve shot me!” The parrot’s incriminating words do nothing to diffuse the situation as Sabin’s wife also shares the name Helen – Helen Watkins Sabin. Helen Monteith claims to have been oblivious to the Sabin’s real identity, knowing him only as George Wallman - a poor, simple and generous man whom she married. Wallman had given her the parrot Casanova for safekeeping.
As the book progresses, subtly woven plots are unraveled and the evidence against Helen Monteith grows. The gun with which Sabin was shot is discovered to have been from a collection in the Santa Molinas Public Library - the library in which Monteith works. Ms. Monteith is arrested shortly after and charged with first degree-murder when caught red-handed trying to dispose off shells of the gun and a beheaded parrot in her apartment. The parrot is later revealed to be a substitute; a switch made by wily Perry Mason, suspecting that the murderer would try to kill the parrot, given the chance, either to truly silence it or to pile more evidence against Helen Monteith or Helen Sabin.
More astonishing facts are uncovered and the plot gets increasingly challenging while Perry Mason seems to be the one man who remains unruffled to an extent, calm and collected, carefully planning his moves while the police, lead by the Sergeant Holcomb of the Homicide Dept., races to stay one step ahead of the clever attorney. It becomes quite evident that the police try to fit circumstantial evidence to their theories and views on the murder and are left stumped when they get one-upped by Mason with Holcomb fuming in the face of Mason’s cheerful geniality.
While it has the imagery of a complex plot, one wonders at the simplicity of the solution as it unfolds in the climax. Of course, if you are looking forward to the razor-sharp courtroom exchanges, there is some of that too.
To me, it’s a disappointing fact that so few people read Gardner’s books. The law aspect of the novels seems to usually drive off people, but it is that very thing that makes the books so unique. The characters are original and amazing, and the dialogue is witty, if with more than a few typos.
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